POSITION SUMMARY:
The Director, Environment, Indigenous Relations & Government Affairs is responsible for leading the Company's environmental, permitting, Indigenous relations, community engagement, and government affairs activities in support of the advancement of the Fenelon Project. Reporting to the Vice-President, Project Development, the role works closely with Indigenous communities, local and regional communities, municipalities, regulators, government agencies, and other stakeholders to support responsible project development and ensure compliance with environmental and regulatory requirements.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Environment & Sustainability
- Provide leadership for all environmental management, monitoring, compliance, and sustainability programs.
- Ensure environmental considerations are integrated into exploration, development, and project planning objectives.
- Oversee baseline environmental studies and technical environmental programs.
- Support the development and implementation of environmental management plans and mitigation measures.
- Monitor environmental performance and ensure compliance with environmental permits, approvals, and regulatory requirements.
- Lead environmental audits, inspections, and compliance reviews.
- Provide strategic guidance on environmental risks, opportunities, and emerging regulatory requirements.
- Promote responsible environmental stewardship and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
Indigenous Relations & Community Engagement
- Lead the development and implementation of Indigenous relations and broader community engagement strategies.
- Foster collaborative, respectful, and transparent relationships with Indigenous communities, local and regional communities, municipalities and other stakeholders affected by or interested in Company activities.
- Support negotiation, implementation, and ongoing management of collaboration, participation, and impact benefit agreements with Indigenous communities.
- Ensure Indigenous communities are engaged early and meaningfully throughout project development and that local communities are appropriately informed and engaged as the Companyâs project advances.
- Coordinate consultation activities and support fulfillment of Company commitments to Indigenous and local communities.
- Identify opportunities to enhance Indigenous employment, training, contracting, and business participation while supporting broader regional economic and community benefits.
- Maintain regular communication with Indigenous leadership and their representatives, municipal and community leaders, regional organizations, and other key stakeholders.
- Support community investment initiatives, partnerships, and community development programs aligned with Company objectives and local priorities.
Government & Regulatory Affairs
- Develop and maintain productive relationships with government ministries, regulatory agencies, municipal representatives, and industry organizations.
- Lead permitting strategies and coordinate regulatory approval processes required to support project advancement.
- Monitor regulatory developments and identify potential impacts on project timelines and objectives.
- Support government consultations, meetings, presentations, and stakeholder engagement activities.
- Provide strategic guidance regarding regulatory risks and opportunities.
- Coordinate the preparation and submission of permits, authorizations, licenses, and regulatory applications.
- Represent the Company at meetings with regulators and government officials as required.
Permitting & Project Development Support
- Lead permitting activities associated with project exploration and development, environmental assessments, and future mine development.
- Work closely with technical, engineering, environmental, and operational teams to ensure regulatory requirements are understood and incorporated into project planning.
- Maintain permitting schedules and approval tracking systems.
- Identify potential project development risks related to permitting, consultation, and regulatory requirements.
- Support environmental and social impact studies and associated regulatory review processes.
Leadership & Continuous Improvement
- Provide leadership, mentorship, and guidance to environmental, community relations, and permitting personnel.
- Develop annual objectives, budgets, and work plans for environmental and stakeholder engagement activities.
- Prepare reports and presentations for executive leadership and the Board regarding environmental performance, permitting activities, Indigenous relations, and government affairs matters.
- Support organizational growth through implementation of industry best practices and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Serve as a key advisor to the executive team on environmental, social, regulatory, and stakeholder matters.
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
- Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in environmental management, Indigenous relations, government affairs, permitting, or project development within the mining, natural resources, infrastructure, or related sectors.
- Demonstrated experience supporting advanced exploration, development-stage mining projects, environmental assessments, and permitting processes.
- Experience working directly with Indigenous communities, government representatives, regulators, and external stakeholders.
- Experience negotiating and managing collaboration agreements, consultation processes, or similar stakeholder arrangements is considered an asset.
- Experience supporting projects in Quebec or similar Canadian jurisdictions is strongly preferred.
REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Strong relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Demonstrated ability to build trust and credibility with Indigenous communities, government representatives, and project stakeholders.
- Strong leadership and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and complex initiatives.
- Excellent strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
- Strong negotiation, facilitation, and conflict-resolution skills.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including report writing and executive-level presentations.
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS
- Bachelorâs degree in environmental sciences, Environmental Engineering, Natural Resources Management, Sustainability, or a related discipline.
- Bilingualism (French and English) is required. Candidates must possess full professional proficiency in French (spoken and written) and be capable of leading meetings, engaging with Indigenous communities, communicating with regulators and government agencies, reviewing technical documentation, and conducting day-to-day business activities in a Quebec-based operating environment.
